Walking toy



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WITNESSES.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

- M. LASKEY.

WALKING TOY No. 390,483. Patented Oct. 2, 1888.

INVENTEI M \A/ITNEIEEEE.

UN TED STATES PATENT Orrrcs.

MILTON LASKEY, OF BOSTON, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO GEORGE M. CUTTER, OF MALDEN, MASSACHUSETTS.

WALKING TOY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 390,483, dated October 2, 18188.

Application filed February 11, 1888. Serial No. 263,676. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MILTON LASKEY, of Bos ton, in the county of Suffolk and State of Mas sachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in \Valking Toys or Figures, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to produce a figure having swinging legs, the walking movements of which shall be such that each foot in advancing will move from a position behind the other foot in a laterally-curved path to a position in front of the other foot, so that the figure will walk step by step on a line or straight edge, each foot placing itself automatically on the line after passing the other foot. To this end I make use of the de vices which I will now proceed to describe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my improved walking figure. Figs. 2 and 3 represent, respectively, front and rear views of the same in the position shown in Fig. 1. Fig. f represents a sec tion on line :0 J0, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 represents a side elevation showing the legs abreast of each other as in the act of taking a step. Fig. 6 represents a front elevation of the figure in the position shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 represents a side elevation showing the figure at the end of the step,which is represented as in progress in Figs. 5 and 6. Figs. 8 and 9 represent, respectively, sections on lines 3/ y and z 2, Figs. 6 and 7. Fig. 10 represents a diagram showing the movements of the feet as viewed from above. Fig. 11 represents a perspectiveview of the weight and its connectingarms. Fig. 12 represents aside view of a modification.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.

In carrying out my invention I construct a figure representing the human figure of a trunk or body, at, arms b b, rigidly attached to the body, and legs 0 0, connected by a pivot, d, to the lower portion of the body. Each leg is adapted to swing independently on said pivot, and is made as a single piece-that is, each leg is jointless or rigid in itself. The legs are provided with feet, the bottoms of which are grooved at their rear or heel portions to engage with a cord or narrow track, f, and each foot is preferably provided at the outerside of its grooved tread with a downwardly-proiecting lip or flange, h, to bear against one side of said cord or track.

To the arms or other portions of the body a is rigidly attached a brace or support, also adapted to run on the cord or track, and arranged either at the front or rear of the legs. Said brace or support is here shown as a wheel barrow, ii, the handles of which are secured to the extremities of the armsb b,whilethe wheel is grooved to run on the cord. It is obvious that any other formof support may be adopted whereby the device as a whole may have a bearing on the cord or track either in advance of or behind the legs 0 a. To keep the center of gravity below the cord or track, I secure to the barrow t a depending weight, j, by means of two wire arms, 7.: 7.:, formed to engage the barrow and placed at opposite sides of the cord, so that the figure cannot tip latorally.

The legs are normally pressed or held by springs in m against a stop, a, which is here shown as a cross bar attached to the handles of the barrow i. Said springs, which extend downwardly and outwardly from the front portion of the body, not only draw the legs forward against the stop a, but also draw them inwardly toward each other. The inner sides of the legs are formed with slight swellings or protuberanees o 0 near their upper ends, said protuberances being held in yielding and rubbing contact with each other by the springs m m.

When the legs of the figure are abreast, as shown in Fig. 6, the protuberanoes 0 0 cause the feet to stand slightly apart; but when either leg is swung forward it is caused by its spring in to swing laterally inward until its foot is directly in front of the foot of the other leg. \Vhen the legs are held against the stop it, the feet are in advance of the body, so that a forward movement of the body, when either foot in its forward position rests on the cord f, causes the body to move in a curved path, first upward and then downward, asindicated by the arrow in Fig. '1. It will be seen,the1'eforc,that when one foot is resting on the cord and the leg of that foot is bearing against the stop a aforward movement of the body will cause the body to swing on the leg of the cordsupportedfoot in the vertical are indicated in Fig. 1, said foot being prevented from moving forward by its bearing on the line. 'At the same time the other leg, remaining in contact with the stop a, advances with the body in,

the same vertical are, and, after its protuberance 0 has passed the protuberance of the line-supported leg the advancing leg is swung independently in a lateral are by its spring in to a position over the cord and in advance of the other foot, the two movements-via, in the vertical are with the body a and in the lateral are independently of the bodyeaus ing the advancing foot to properly land upon the cord. As soon as the advancing foot comes to a full bearing on the cord it relieves the frictional pressure of the rear foot on the cord to such an extent that the latter is at once impelled forward by its spring on and becomes the advancing "foot, the leg thereof being at the same time moved in the vertical arc with the body and swung laterally by the contact of its protuberance 0 with the protuberance 0 of the other leg, until the two legs are abreast, when the other spring m acts to swing the leg inwardly in front of the other leg in a manner similar to that above described. Each leg, therefore, while supporting the weight of the figure on the line, and during the forward movement of the figure, swings the figure and the advancing leg in a vertical are, which, conjointly with the horizontal are imparted to the advancing leg, as described, causes the advancing foot to move first upwardly and outwardly and then inwardly and downwardly. The upward and downward movement imparted to the advancing leg first lifts its foot from and then lowers it to the eord,while the lateral or outward and inward movements cause the advancing foot to pass from behind the cordsupported foot to a position on the cord in advance of the foot last mentioned.

The sides 8 s of the body on which the legs bear are slightly beveled, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 6, so that the legs swing somewhat obliquely, as required in passing each other, as above described.

It is obvious that the shape or design ofthe figure may be varied and may represent a quadruped as well as a biped, as shown in Fig. 12,each pair oflcgs being provided with springs m and stops n,and adapted to operate as above described.

I claim-- 1. A walking figure composed of a body, legsjointed to the body and in contact with each other, springs whereby the legs are normally pressed forward and inward with a yielding pressure, and a stop which limits the forward movements of thelegs,whereby when the body is moved forward over a cord or narrow track the legs are caused to bear alternately on said cord or track, and each advancing leg is moved in vertical and lateral arcs, as set forth.

2. A walking figure'composed of a body, a brace or support therefor adapted to bear on a cord or track, legs jointed to the body and in contact with each other, a stop in advance of the center ofgravity ofthcbody,and springs whereby each leg is normally pressed forward against said step and inwardly against the other leg, whereby each advancing leg is swung vertically and laterally, as set forth.

3. The combination of a figure, legsjointed to the figure, springs whereby said legs are pressed forward and inward, a stop to limit the forward n1ovement,and apendent weight, whereby the center of gravity is located below the lower extremities of the legs, as set forth.

4. The combination of the figure or body having the brace or support 1' attached thereto, the legs in contact with each other and jointed to the figure or body, the stop in advance of the center ofgravity of the body, the springs whereby said legs are normally pressed inward and forward against said stop, a cord or narrow track, f, parallel arms 7c 7r, supported by the brace z, and extending downwardly therefrom at opposite sides of the track, and a weight attached to said arms below the track, as set forth.

In testimony whereofl have signed my name to this specifieation,in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses, this 7th day of February, A. D. 1888.

MILTON LASKEY.

\Vitnesses:

G. F. BROWN, A. D. HARRISON. 

